OES brings a little Joy to the Vert

PENDLETON — A performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony launches Oregon East Symphony’s fall season on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 2:30 in the Vert Auditorium. The fourth movement, known as “Ode to Joy,” will be performed by the OES Chorale with members of the Hermiston High School Choir. Free, unreserved floor level seating is available; reserved floor/balcony seating may be purchased. Visit www.OregonEastSymphony for more information or call the OES office at 541-276-0320.

PYB kicks off with basketball skills clinic

PENDLETON — Do you have a young hoopster in the family? Sign them up for a Pendleton Youth Basketball league. Players are divided by Girls and Boys, third to fourth grade and fifth to sixth grades; teams play and practice each Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through March 1, 2025. Cost is $65 per child for the season, visit pendletonparksandrec.com/parksrec/page/pyb to sign up online. PYB begins with a skills assessment for registered players on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Sunridge Middle School. Parks & Rec is also seeking volunteer coaches to help. For more information, call 541-966-0228.

Book vending machines land in local schools

ATHENA & LA GRANDE — Two schools recently installed special vending machines to encourage reading. At Athena Elementary, students can earn gold tokens for reading at home to be used to buy books from the machine (which talks). At Greenwood Elementary School in La Grande a similar vending machine was unveiled in September and students are being asked what books they’d like to have stocked. Both schools are seeing a boost in reading thanks to the machines. Athena Elementary accepts donations of gently-used books; call 541-566-3581 to learn more.

Christmas parades and tree lightings

REGION-WIDE — Mark your calendars — there’s sure to be holiday festivities coming soon to a town near you. La Grande’s Holiday Parade of Lights celebrates the season on Friday, Nov. 29, at 6 p.m., starting at Hemlock and Adams Ave. and making its way to Max Square for the tree lighting. On Thursday, Dec. 5, join the crowd on Festival Street for Hermiston’s Lighted Parade at 5:45 p.m., followed by Santa’s arrival at 6:15 p.m. for the lighting of the tree (or decorate your own vehicle and join the parade, if you register at www.hermiston.gov/parksrec). In Umatilla, the city’s tree lighting is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 at City Hall, with cocoa, cookies and a Santa photo op. Baker City plans a weekend of holiday fun beginning Saturday, Dec. 7, with a Christmas Bazaar downtown and the Twilight Parade & Tree Lighting on Main Street that evening. Also in the works is a Cookie Crawl, Holiday Shop Hop, and the annual Festival of Trees. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Eastern Oregon!

Annie visits the Opera House

ELGIN — Bet your bottom dollar there’ll be sun at the Elgin Opera House’s upcoming production of “Annie,” with songs you probably already know by heart. This beloved musical features a plucky waif and her friends from Miss Hannigan’s orphanage in 1930s New York City. The show opens on Friday, Nov. 22 and runs weekends through Saturday, Dec. 14 on the Opera House mainstage. Tickets are $8 to 18. For details, contact 541-663-6324 or visit www.elginoperahouse.com.